Some buildings and structures (“building”) may include an opening or passage in an exterior wall thereof that passes from outside the building to inside a room in the building, and is used to house or mount an air conditioning unit (“A/C unit”). The opening may be referred to as an air conditioning sleeve (“sleeve”). To replace the air conditioning (A/C) unit mounted in the sleeve, the old A/C unit may be slid out from the sleeve, and a new A/C unit may then be slid into the sleeve. However, there may be instances where it may not be desirable to install a new A/C unit for some amount of time after the old A/C unit has been removed. Typically, the open ends of the sleeve may be closed by fitting a metal cap over the ends to prevent air from entering or leaving the building through the sleeve.
In some instances, instead of mounting an A/C unit in a sleeve, an A/C unit may be mounted in an opening created by an open window. To prevent outside air from entering the room through the vents in the A/C unit, a cover, such as a quilted cover, may be placed over the window mounted A/C unit.
Both sleeve mounted and window mounted A/C units may be a major source of heat loss from a building or structure during cold winter months. A/C units are not air tight and may allow colder outside air to migrate through the A/C unit and into the building. Additionally, cold air can blow through the gap between the sleeve interior and the A/C unit, and gaps between the window and the window-mounted A/C unit. The inability to prevent cold outside air from entering the building may result in a colder interior room, a loss of energy due to greater use of the heating equipment in the building, and increased expense.
While weatherization products, such as caulk or foam strips, for example, may be used, the air leakage gaps described above may still exist. Further, these weatherization products do not prevent the outside air from flowing through the A/C unit. Conventionally, people have used pillows, roll plastic, garbage bags with duct tape and textile A/C unit covers to try to prevent the outside air from flowing through the A/C unit. However, these products still typically allow outside air to flow inside, as the seal between the products and the sleeve or window may not be sealed to be air-tight.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved cover for an air conditioning unit.